A little bit different lighting question
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,572
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From: Templeton California
A little bit different lighting question
Ok first off I'm not trying to say this would be better than installing LEDs but...What if like me you're happy with the standard halogen lighting and instead of just replacing them with the stock part when they eventually burn out you want to just replace them with a more powerful bulb.I ride to work in the dark literally every day and so far the stock lighting seems better than OK it's better than anything I've had on any other bike I've owned.When the stock bulb burned out on my Suzuki I was able to replace it with a more powerful bulb from an Auto parts store for less than it would have cost me for the stock bulb at a motorcycle shop.Has anyone done this with the bulbs on an Electraglide? More specifically one of the "passing lights" is out on my 13 Limited and rather than just running down to the dealer for a replacement bulb I'd like to replace both with something with a little more power.Is it doable?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 5,157
Likes: 740
From: new caney, tx
Sure it's doable.. Anything is.. But what will it cause.. For some there have been no issues.. I replaced my 35w bulbs with 55w and they made they headlight dim everytime they were on.. Easy fix. But if your just looking for plug and play stay with what you already have.. You can get your bulbs on eBay for a few bucks shipped.. The leds are a good option though as they don't draw as much power
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: Eastern Ohio
You have one 15 amp circuit to run the headlight and spot lights. Your headlight high beam is 65 watts = 5.41 amps @ 12 volts. Your 35 watt spot lights pull 2.92 amps @ 12 volts. That is a total of 11.25 amps @ 12 volts. If you change you spots to 55 watt lamps then you're going to pull 4.58 amps @ 12 volts per spot light. This is going to be 14.57 amps total @ 12 volts for your lighting circuit. That's too much amperage and will probably blow fuses and tax the wiring. If you run a separate fused circuit to the front of the bike and switch it with a relay it would be doable. Otherwise I wouldn't suggest it.
Edit: I'm not sold on the LED lighting either. Too many complaints about dead spots. Especially in bends when you lean over. They are very expensive and everyone's solution to spending $300 plus on a headlight that is inadequate is to throw another $300 at additional lighting to make up for the shortcomings of the led headlight. I personally don't wanna drop $600 plus on lighting to replace the perfectly adequate stock lighting.
Edit: I'm not sold on the LED lighting either. Too many complaints about dead spots. Especially in bends when you lean over. They are very expensive and everyone's solution to spending $300 plus on a headlight that is inadequate is to throw another $300 at additional lighting to make up for the shortcomings of the led headlight. I personally don't wanna drop $600 plus on lighting to replace the perfectly adequate stock lighting.
Last edited by Buelligan666; Feb 27, 2015 at 12:50 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 622
Likes: 2
From: Connecticut
You have one 15 amp circuit to run the headlight and spot lights. Your headlight high beam is 65 watts = 5.41 amps @ 12 volts. Your 35 watt spot lights pull 2.92 amps @ 12 volts. That is a total of 11.25 amps @ 12 volts. If you change you spots to 55 watt lamps then you're going to pull 4.58 amps @ 12 volts per spot light. This is going to be 14.57 amps total @ 12 volts for your lighting circuit. That's too much amperage and will probably blow fuses and tax the wiring. If you run a separate fused circuit to the front of the bike and switch it with a relay it would be doable. Otherwise I wouldn't suggest it.
Edit: I'm not sold on the LED lighting either. Too many complaints about dead spots. Especially in bends when you lean over. They are very expensive and everyone's solution to spending $300 plus on a headlight that is inadequate is to throw another $300 at additional lighting to make up for the shortcomings of the led headlight. I personally don't wanna drop $600 plus on lighting to replace the perfectly adequate stock lighting.
Edit: I'm not sold on the LED lighting either. Too many complaints about dead spots. Especially in bends when you lean over. They are very expensive and everyone's solution to spending $300 plus on a headlight that is inadequate is to throw another $300 at additional lighting to make up for the shortcomings of the led headlight. I personally don't wanna drop $600 plus on lighting to replace the perfectly adequate stock lighting.
What he said.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
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From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
ah, logic. Nice post. i will add for the OP, there are online Ohms Law calculators to determine the current draw in amps of devices rated in watts
with higher wattage bulbs* the service life is usually decreased.
the #896** 37.5W seems to be a good balance between light output*, power consumption, service life and heat (connectors and reflector).
2.) if you have the dual halogen, replace the H11 low beam with a H9 65w capsule- this requires a plastic tang be cut off
3.) I ( me) think that current led offerings are a hazard- add to the above concerns that the narrow beam spread makes riders less visible than they think. I will notice riders behind me on the hiway in my mirrors... as they draw close and get in the passing lane, the narrow light beam is no longer in my mirror.
I have also seen cars pull out of parking lots in front of bikes as the beam doesn;t shine to the side as much as we would think
led drawbacks are beam spread, hot/cold spots/ cost and for some colour temperature.
there is an advantage in power draw.
Mike
*watts is not a true measure of light output - Lumens is.
** #881= 25w, #896= 37.5W, #886= 50W
with higher wattage bulbs* the service life is usually decreased.
the #896** 37.5W seems to be a good balance between light output*, power consumption, service life and heat (connectors and reflector).
2.) if you have the dual halogen, replace the H11 low beam with a H9 65w capsule- this requires a plastic tang be cut off
3.) I ( me) think that current led offerings are a hazard- add to the above concerns that the narrow beam spread makes riders less visible than they think. I will notice riders behind me on the hiway in my mirrors... as they draw close and get in the passing lane, the narrow light beam is no longer in my mirror.
I have also seen cars pull out of parking lots in front of bikes as the beam doesn;t shine to the side as much as we would think
led drawbacks are beam spread, hot/cold spots/ cost and for some colour temperature.
there is an advantage in power draw.
Mike
*watts is not a true measure of light output - Lumens is.
** #881= 25w, #896= 37.5W, #886= 50W
Last edited by mkguitar; Feb 27, 2015 at 01:07 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: Eastern Ohio
Thanks Mike. I knew you'd be here soon. I typed really fast. Ha ha ha!!!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Deep South Texas
I had put larger wattage bulbs in my RG and experienced two things. One, the bulbs burnt out faster (I think the vibration killed them) and two, the plugs became slightly deformed from the heat (or could have been a bad connection).
I went back to stock bulbs and everything went back to normal. I would suggest using the stock set-up.
I went back to stock bulbs and everything went back to normal. I would suggest using the stock set-up.
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Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Templeton California
Thanks for the speedy replies.I guess since I've been happy with the stock lighting so far and it took damn near 2 years for one bulb to burn out I'll stick with that.I will run by the auto parts store and check the cost of replacing as opposed to the dealer.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,357
Likes: 91
From: Michigan
You have one 15 amp circuit to run the headlight and spot lights. Your headlight high beam is 65 watts = 5.41 amps @ 12 volts. Your 35 watt spot lights pull 2.92 amps @ 12 volts. That is a total of 11.25 amps @ 12 volts. If you change you spots to 55 watt lamps then you're going to pull 4.58 amps @ 12 volts per spot light. This is going to be 14.57 amps total @ 12 volts for your lighting circuit. That's too much amperage and will probably blow fuses and tax the wiring.
or 4.92 + (55w x 2 lights) = 4.17 / or 8.33 = 13.25A
or 88% of the 15 amp circuit. vs the original design of 68% of fuse capacity.
I would say that as long as the battery was kept good then the circuit would be OK.